Journey vs. Destination

Um, it is a 2:45pm and twenty minutes to Reno. Which Google says is four hours from home.

The funny thing about google’s estimates: they are horrific overestimates for how we drive (which isn’t always hideously fast, once we see civilizations we are polite). Anyway, google times end up being how long we are on the road, including meal breaks and pit stops and traffic and gas.

We could be home in time for a latish dinner.

I tried to talk C into going all the way yesterday. I mean, in getting an early start for today and powering through. It’d be a long day but about the same as our first day out (San Jose to Flagstaff).

C replied by giving me hotel suggestions in Reno. And explaining he didn’t want to do the mountain climb at the end of a day of driving.

Fair enough and the Reno hotels seemed ok. And we haven’t gone over budget on the trip so maybe we’ll splurge on the resort-spa.

So I dawdled this morning, read a novel for a bit, breakfasted at a restaurant, took C on my walk… We didn’t get out of the hotel until 10am (goal is usually 9am). If we weren’t going to do the drive we shouldn’t be tempted, we should get into Reno at 5pm, that will keep us adhered to the plan.

Quit laughing. It was a plan. My spouse told me what he wanted and I made an effort to make it happen.

Except we gained an hour and we went a little fast in Nevada. So here we are, well within striking distance to home. We’ll get home before the sun sets.

Though we both agree the other can call a halt. And I’m not calling the petsitter until we get off the mountain.

But hearing him say, “I can see California” in the same voice I used to squee over the ape in the Chicago zoo, well, HOME, here we come.

301.0 miles (288 to home), 14.448 gallons, 20.8 mpg, $57.78.

In Wells, Nevada. The original route called for us to stay here (and spend longer in Yellowstone) but since we pushed on to Twin Falls, Idaho last night, we’ll make the last day’s drive a shortish one (when did six hours of driving become short?!?).

Anyway, stopped to get gas. It is dusty and smells like tiles being cut by a saw during kitchen remodels. Glad we stayed in the much greener and prettier Twin Falls.

We’re getting gas little early so we can cross the desert with confidence. We have water too (quit nagging!).

241.0 miles, 12.02 gallons, $48.31. 20mpg. Some lowness is due to the start of the hill climb. The rest is due to outrunning the copper. Oh, sorry, I meant, using the radar detector to slow down enough that the officer of the law nabbed the guy that C had been considering passing.

We’re all fine here, how are you?

365.5 miles, many through the incredibly beautiful Yellowstone Park.

16.467 gallons of gas costing $60.91.

22.19mpg reflecting lower speeds during the touring.

C saw a CA plate today (other than ours).

We are quite looking forward to being home. The plan is Twin Falls, Idaho tonight, Reno NV tomorrow and then home (HOME!).

I’ll rhapsodize about Yellowstone later. It was pretty great, C and I both ran out of camera space.

But now I’m sleepy. (Don’t worry, C is driving.)

534.9 miles, minus the 216.3 from before since I forgot to reset the trip counter- 318.6 miles. 17.746 gallons ($69.37). That’s like 18 mpg. I’d worry there is something wrong with the car but North Dakota and Montana have been, um, fast. So we’re going to stick with 216.3 in the last post.

We’s thought maybe to stay in Billings, at least eat here. And yet after a spin around downtown ( nice beadshop!), there is nothing to amuse us. We are eating at Cracker Barrel and then onward to Livingston. Maybe even into Yellowstone if C falls asleep while I drive…

I do feel compelled to buy a Montana lottery ticket. For the record, the numbers I’d play are 12 44 7 46 9 and 32. Let me know if they’d have won.